Kenya’s Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development in Conjunction with the Council of Governors is developing legislation that seeks to update land use and urban development regulations.

The Laws (Miscellaneous Amendment Planning) Bill 2026 is currently being subjected to stakeholder whereas city, municipal, and town planners would be required to be registered under engagement in all counties before it is taken to parliament for enactment.

It seeks to overhaul key land management frameworks to facilitate better structural urban expansion that aligns local development policies with the national housing agenda.

The Bill also seeks to introduce strict, standardised guidelines defining boundaries and regulations surrounding riparian reserves that directly affect environmental protection and community safety near rivers and wetlands.

During a public forum held at Magharibi Hall in Kakamega town that was attended by both national and county officers and other stakeholders, a senior physical planner in the Department of Lands and Physical Planning Arthur Mbatia said that the proposed changes and new multi-tier institutional structures swill be allocated planning powers.

The bill proposes to establish the County Director of Physical and Land Use Planning as responsible for markets, trading centres and neighbourhoods with city boards, municipal boards, and town committees planning given development-control powers in their respective areas, if passed into law by parliament.

Mbatia said the director of city planning would be responsible for planning and development control all over the city planning county, including at the borough level, the Physical Planners Registration Act (Cap. 536).

During the forum, some participants said that by making the director of city planning subject to political control through the chain of command under the county governor, the changes would open the door for political interference in technical decision-making process.

The Survey (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, were also discussed during the forum. The regulations modify the distances used in certain circumstances for surveys under Regulation 110(1) from 60 to 200 meters and under Regulation 112 from 30 to 100 meters, and extend the range of application of Regulation 111 away from tidal waters. New rules for surveying boundaries near swamps have also been added.

Peter Juma, a representative of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Kakamega chapter, asked the government to professionalize members of the planning boards to ensure they have a representation of professionals.

“Government must incorporate an element of professionalism to the boards with minimum diploma in relevant fields like planning, development, governance among others” said Juma.

The County Director of National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Nathaniel Mutuku, called for stronger environmental oversight in county planning processes, saying there was urgent need to prioritize biodiversity climate resilience conservation in urban and town planning.

“There is a need to uphold Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements and demarcate separation of powers between county and national government agencies”, he added.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Godfrey Wang’anya